Meet the Media – Carrie Sisto

Carrie Sisto is an editor at Hoodline, which aims to create informative, high-quality, and engaging content from a local perspective

What types of stories, trends, or issues are on your radar?
My writing for Hoodline typically focuses on events and interesting business openings or closings in the Tenderloin neighborhood, where I live and work.

Today I’m working on an article about the Thai New Year street food festival on Larkin Street being hosted by Tenderloin restaurants Lers Ros Thai and Esan Classic. Chef Tom has worked with the Mayor’s office and SF Public Works to align the festival with the Tenderloin Sunday Streets and the festival will feature local vendors, Tenderloin-based chefs, dancing, and other entertainment.

What story or stories are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the articles that help drive business to new or long-standing local businesses. I view my role as a mouthpiece to help spread the word about interesting restaurants, events, or construction efforts in the Tenderloin. The neighborhood is very tight knit and full of culture and art, and I love to highlight stories that help support the residents and business that contribute to its community. I’ve really enjoyed covering the growth of the Tenderloin Museum over the past several years. That community-serving space has regular, low-cost events and works harder than anyone else in the City to preserve the neighborhood’s past while supporting its artists of today. Similarly, the Cutting Ball Theater offers free or reduced tickets to Tenderloin residents, to ensure neighbors have access to their performances.

While I focus on the Tenderloin, I most enjoy writing articles about things more main-stream journalists may not find interesting. Or finding a unique neighborhood-specific angle to bigger stories in the Tenderloin or other parts of San Francisco.

What advice do you have for PR people who want to pitch to you?
I struggle to pitch my editor on recurring events unless there is a new, more interesting spin on a specific occurrence. A press release about an event that occurs monthly or quarterly but doesn’t have much differentiation is hard to spin into a story. If you’re able to highlight something new or interesting about a specific time an event is occurring in the press release, you’re much more likely to catch my interest.

Tell us a little about yourself.
Hoodline is my side job and keeps me busy and very entertained. I spend most of my time, however, working as an energy analyst for the California Public Utilities Commission focused on zero-emission vehicle policy development and deployment. I live in the Tenderloin and walk through it daily to my cubicle in the state office building on the corner of McAllister and Van Ness avenues. When I’m not writing or implementing the state’s energy policies, I’m hiking, camping, kayaking, and generally exploring the outside world beyond the Tenderloin.

Do you have a question for Carrie? Comment below or Tweet her at @carries1981.